Resources and Reflections

Tomki Road to the north of Redwood Valley, as the county signs repeatedly make clear, is  ”not maintained in winter”. Well, its not much maintained in summer either. Rocky rough when you get up into the canyon, with the added attraction of seven water crossings, Tomki Road is always an entertaining and challenging ride.

Approaching from the south you ride through the rolling vineyards of Redwood Valley over a series of gradually rising steps heading north on either East or West Road, take your pick because both meet ath a three-way intersection with Tomki Road, at the north end of the Valley. About four miles in from the intersection, things begin to get interesting as the road starts to climb at about 12% for two and a half miles, rising almost a thousand feet from that point to the crest at 1935′. Along the way you’ll pass one buddist and one greek orthodox monastery as the narrow but reasonably clean asphalt rises in a series of about ten tight, winding ’s’ curves through thick forests of california oak, white fir and even the occaisonal redwood, all second and third growth.

Oh yes, and don’t forget the poison oak, its thick as lobbyists on congress. I’m a big advocate of Hawaiian philosophy as applied to cycling; eat when hungry, rest when tired, ride when ready, drink whenevah. But when resting along the road in northern California, beware, unpleasant surprises can lurk in the grass. Poison oak is chifest among these, but the very prickly and uncomfortable Goat’s Head is a thing to be reckoned with as well. To barrel through the copuntryside as if the devil is on your heels, without stopping to take in the scenery seems a waste to me, so, by all means,  stop to take it in, but choose your perch carefully in these parts.

Feast your eyes upon the details, recorded July 3rd on a cooling late afternoon.

Tomki Road

Popularity: unranked [?]

Others are far more eloquent than I when describing the excellence of the terrior, the this of the that and so on and so on, and there are a number of other sites (from which we will quote liberally) that do a far better job than we at using the language of wine. What we will do here that no one else does is to geotag all the wineries and to fill out, over time, the posts here with our own personal impressions and those of our guests as we travel through the countryside and sample the fruit of the vine.

GoMendo.com is an excellent source for all things Mendo related and we here will be focusing more on personal experience rather than purely promotional materials, but for the moment we will quote their text and links as place holders. Remember, Emerald Empire Adventures can arrange for private tastings and tours as a part of any multi-sport, cultural and/or nature-based Adventures. In addition to the wineries listed here, there are many small, unique vintners with no website, no tasting rooms and unusual varietals. If you would like to visit one (or several) of these hidden treasures, be sure to let us know and we will see what we can do.

From my personal experience living in and cycling through the Po Valley and the Alto Adige regions of northern Italy, I can say without  equivocation that the combination of vines, climbs, friendly folks and great local foods and arts available and Mendocino and surrounding counties is rapidly approaching a kind of critical mass that promises to develop into a place equal to any in Italy.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Hopland Bike and Vine Ride

This a great tour through the beautiful vineyard cloaked back roads of Mendocino County with many choices of cozy tasting rooms along the way, and a follow up vehicle to carry those whose determination to ride has been overcome by their dedication to oenological quality research. Go on over to Emerald Empire Adventures and book your place.

Slideshow

Elevation Profile

Popularity: 6% [?]

A tour of the Mann Ranch. First settled in 1905, this 1600 acre hilltop hacienda is a stunning spot to rest and take in the vista after the 1500 ft. climb up Orr Springs Rd. The high, bare knob at stands at the very crest of the Coast Range and about 30 miles from highway 1 and the Mendocino Coast. You can spend the night in the old A frame or ride on down the hill to Orr Hot Springs for a long soak and a night in their historic old cabins.

The family is looking towards recent history when, in the 60’s and 70’s Mann Ranch was the venue for widely attended conferences and chataquas conducted by the likes of Joseph Campbell and Carlos Casteneda. Plans are afoot to re-establish the site as a venue for future events.

A place for breathing

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Fresh breezes and long, blue vistas make this a spot for contemplation.

Geo-tagged

Popularity: 85% [?]

June ‘08 – A true wilderness adventure to one of California’s most remote stretches of coastline; The Lost Coast. Beginning in Willits, we ride north on Hwy 101 to Laytonville where we head west on Branscomb Road through misty redwoods and down to the coast at Rockport. From there its north along the Pacific Coast Highway to where it veers northeast to skirt the Sinkyone – Lost Coast wilderness. There’s a great climb up into the coast range and then a brutal gravel/mud swathed trip down to Usal Beach. See the Route Map here More »

Popularity: 17% [?]

May ‘08, Left Willits at 5:30 PM arrived in Cache Creek Campground at 1 AM with 80 lbs. in my (then) new Arkel panniers. I always love a long ride through new countryside. Believe it or not, riding at night, if you are well illuminated, is often safer than the traffic clogged daytime.
This ride sealed my place as the Emerald Empire Adventures partner and cycle touring guide, bona fides as it were. See the Route Map More »

Popularity: 15% [?]